Paralaurionite
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Archaeodontosaurus" title="User:Archaeodontosaurus">Didier Descouens</a> (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Mineral NameParalaurionite
Chemical FormulaPbCl(OH)
Mohs Hardness3
Crystal Systemmonoclinic
Lusteradamantine
Streak Colorwhite
Cleavagegood on {100}
Fractureconchoidal
Specific Gravity6.15
Colorscolorless, white, pale yellow
Transparencytransparent
Type LocalityThorikos Bay slag locality, Thorikos area, Lavrion District slag localities, Lavrion (Laurion; Laurium) District, Attikí (Attica; Attika) Prefecture, Greece
Mineral GroupHalides
Usescollector
Associated Mineralslaurionite, fiedlerite, cerussite, anglesite, phosgenite
Rarityrare
Description
The image displays small, transparent to translucent, colorless to very pale prismatic crystals of paralaurionite, some standing upright, within a vug in a yellowish-brown and dark grey matrix, likely ancient lead slag.
Geological Context
Paralaurionite is a rare secondary lead halide mineral that forms in the oxidation zone of lead deposits, particularly known from ancient lead slag dumps where it crystallizes from the interaction of lead-rich slag with chloride-rich solutions like seawater or groundwater.
